When a Willimantic man ambushed and shot a Willimantic officer checking his home, it brought on a massive manhunt, police said.

Andrew Samuolis, 33, of 31 Tunxis Lane, was arrested about an hour later and two miles away, after exchanging gunfire with police and firing on a television news crew, police said.

Police later found a man’s body in the house at 31 Tunxis Lane that they said was an apparent homicide victim.

Samuolis was charged later Tuesday with interfering with police and breach of peace and is scheduled to be arraigned today in Danielson Superior Court. More charges are expected later, police said.

At about 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, a Willimantic police officer went to 31 Tunxis Lane to conduct a well-being check of one of the home’s residents, state police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said.

The house at 31 Tunxis Road is a white raised ranch. Tunxis Road is a dead-end in a quiet suburban development.

Vance did not identify who the check was for. The homeowners are listed as John P. Samuolis and Constance Samuolis, according to Windham property records.

Daniel Magnon delivers a newspaper to the house.

“I knew that the son was there,” he said Tuesday. “I haven’t seen the father in three weeks.”

When the Willimantic officer entered the house, a man that police later said was Andrew Samuolis shot the officer and fled the scene on foot.

Police later found a long gun, either a rifle or shotgun, at the home. Vance would not say whether the gun was used in the shooting.

The Willimantic officer received a non-life-threatening wound and is in stable condition at Windham Hospital, Vance said. Police did not reveal his identity. The officer called for assistance at the scene.

Police responded with a massive manhunt, setting up a perimeter several miles from the scene and bringing in a state police helicopter and several police dog teams.

State police troopers and detectives from Troop K barracks in Colchester and Troop C barracks in Tolland, as well as off-duty troopers came to the aid of Willimantic police.

In addition, officers came from Norwich, Putnam, Plainfield, Coventry, Hartford, Eastern Connecticut State University, Groton Town and UConn.

Vance said police spotted Samuolis in the neighborhood and exchanged gunfire. Samuolis was armed with a handgun in that encounter, Vance said.

No one was hurt, and Samuolis fled again, Vance said. About 12:15 p.m., he appeared on Route 32 a few hundred yards south of the IGA supermarket. He fired at a WFSB-TV news crew parked there, an eyewitness said, but missed.

Page 2 of 2 - “I saw a man standing right where that tree was,” said Louise Magnon, who lives across the street. “Next thing I know, boom, boom. I saw it all from my window here.”

She said the gunman had a handgun.

Within a few minutes, police captured Samuolis with the help of a dog belonging to state police, Vance said. He was taken to Windham Hospital for treatment of a minor dog bite he received when he was captured, police said.

When police searched the home after the manhunt was over, Vance said, they found the body of a man inside. Police are treating his death as a homicide. Police did not identify him or say whether he was a homeowner or how long he has been dead.